NOREPINEPHRINE ANDROGEN INTERACTIONS AND VOCAL BEHAVIOR

这项拟议的研究将研究去甲肾上腺素系统及其 发声行为对睾酮作用的影响 欧洲八哥(Sturnus) 庸俗)。第一，去甲肾上腺素能传入大脑端脑区的来源。 八哥的发声控制系统将通过使用声道- 结合免疫细胞化学标记物的示踪技术 儿茶酚胺能活性(多巴胺β羟基酶和酪氨酸 羟基酶[th])。已确定的去甲肾上腺素能神经支配来源将 然后因电解性损伤而受损 在端脑歌曲的单胺水平上干扰这种输入 核将通过高效液相色谱(HPLC)进行评估。 这项研究的第二部分将讨论传入输入的作用 去甲肾上腺素(NE)在维持激素诱导的大鼠脑内可塑性中的作用 成人期。这将在两个实验背景下解决；1) 光周期引起的高纹状体体积的季节性变化 雄性和雌性八哥的腹尾部(HVC)，2) 雌性八哥“似雄”鸣声的产生及其伴奏音量 T植入物术后HVC的变化。通过评估睾丸激素的作用 用药后对成人歌唱行为和HVC音量的影响 电解损毁移除去甲肾上腺素能传入SONG的来源 细胞核，对去甲肾上腺素系统在 维持睾丸激素依赖的神经和行为反应可能是 收获了。

The proposed study will investigate the noradrenergic system and its influence on the action of testosterone in relation to vocal behavior in a songbird species the European starling (Sturnus vulgaris). First, sources of noradrenergic input to telencephalic areas of the starling vocal control system will be determined through use of tract- tracing techniques in combination with immunocytochemical markers of catecholaminergic activity (dopamine beta hydroxylase [DBH] and tyrosine hydroxylase [TH]). Identified sources of noradrenergic innervation will then be damaged with electrolytic lesions and the consequences of disrupting this input on monoamines levels in the telencephalic song nuclei will be assessed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The second portion of this study will address the role of afferent input from norepinephrine (NE) in maintaining hormone-induced plasticity in adulthood. This will be addressed in two experimental contexts; 1) photoperiod-induced seasonal changes in volume of the hyperstriatum ventrale pars caudale (HVC) of male and female starlings, 2) the production of "male-like" song in female starlings and accompanying volume changes in HVC after T implants. By evaluating the effects of testosterone manipulations on adult song behavior and HVC volume after the use of electrolytic lesions to remove sources of noradrenergic input to song nuclei, new insights into the role of the noradrenergic system in maintaining testosterone-dependent neural and behavioral responses can be gained.